Bergstrom Hadley C, McDonald Craig G, Smith Robert F
Department of Psychology, George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA.
Physiol Behav. 2006 Jul 30;88(4-5):466-72. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2006.04.021. Epub 2006 Jun 5.
Few studies have examined long-term effects of ethanol on auditory fear conditioning, and fewer still have examined whether adolescence represents a unique period of vulnerability. We investigated the impact of ethanol consumption during adolescence and adulthood on fear conditioning, following an extended abstinence period. Male and female Long-Evans rats (N = 80) consumed 10% ethanol or water (control) in a limited-access drinking paradigm (1 h) between postnatal (P) days 28-45 (adolescent) and P80-97 (adult). After the abstinence period (30 days), ethanol and control groups were assessed on the auditory fear-conditioning task. Alcohol consumption impaired tone conditioning in the male and female adolescent group. There were no persisting effects of adult dosing. In addition, adolescent rats consumed more ethanol than adults. These data provide evidence that ethanol consumption during adolescence produces enduring effects on auditory fear conditioning. The age-specific effect of ethanol may be attributable to an interplay of higher ethanol intake and the unique neurobiological characteristics of adolescents.
很少有研究考察乙醇对听觉恐惧条件反射的长期影响，而考察青春期是否是一个独特的易损期的研究更少。我们研究了青春期和成年期饮酒对恐惧条件反射的影响，在延长的戒酒期之后。雄性和雌性长 Evans 大鼠（N = 80）在出生后（P）第 28 - 45 天（青春期）和 P80 - 97 天（成年期）期间，通过限时饮水模式（1 小时）摄入 10%的乙醇或水（对照）。在戒酒期（30 天）后，对乙醇组和对照组进行听觉恐惧条件反射任务评估。青春期雄性和雌性大鼠饮酒损害了音调条件反射。成年期给药没有持续影响。此外，青春期大鼠比成年大鼠摄入更多的乙醇。这些数据提供了证据，表明青春期饮酒对听觉恐惧条件反射产生持久影响。乙醇的年龄特异性效应可能归因于较高的乙醇摄入量与青少年独特的神经生物学特征之间的相互作用。
